How do you guys do a "slow pass"?

Call and offer. Pass at just above the speed of the passed vessel. When? When I don't want to wake the passed vessel unnecessarily..
 
If I don't make eye contact with the other Captain when passing, I give a toot on my horn to get his attention. There's a rule about one toot to pass on starboard, and two when passing to port, but I don't think anyone remembers that rule.
 
Using the horn and eye contact, just above the speed of the boat I'm overtaking. In our creek, only in our very few long straight aways. Reed grass hides incoming boats and it can get dicey.
 
Hail them on the VHF and ask them if they would like a slow pass. In the ICW, this will be an hourly occurrence, especially this time of year.
 
Turtlesboat said:
Hail them on the VHF and ask them if they would like a slow pass. In the ICW, this will be an hourly occurrence, especially this time of year.
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+1. I give all commercial traffic --underway or not--a slow pass unless there is enough water separating us. My wake may not hinder their control underway or their mooring but I can easily sweep a line off the deck of a towboat and into the water and that's not a good thing to do. slowpass for houseboats. if I approach a slow moving cruiser/trawler/etc from the stern, I'll check with him on VHF. sometimes I advise them to back off so I can give them a more comfortable pass. I will back down for anyone in a channel who is not under power whether they're supposed to be there or not. You can't go wrong being courteous and behaving like you've operated a boat before.
 
I read an interesting article on the slow pass.

http://www.neusesailingassociation.org/nautical-skills-the-slow-pass

"Once we were both on 17 he explained that he had written an article for the Great Loop Association that described the correct way to accomplish a “slow pass.” I was to maintain my heading and speed while he (the burdened vessel) approached my stern. He would keep his vessel one boat length distance away from my port side as he approached. As his bow encountered my wake, I was to slow to idle speed while he maintained his heading and speed. Once his stern was on my bow wave I would slide to port directly behind his vessel and regain my speed. This resulted in the smoothest pass I have ever encountered."

I'm not sure how that would work if you were on plane. I'm guessing this isn't about a boat on plane...not sure I'd want to get a boat length away from another boat at 22kts.
 
searay40dad said:
+1. I give all commercial traffic --underway or not--a slow pass unless there is enough water separating us. My wake may not hinder their control underway or their mooring but I can easily sweep a line off the deck of a towboat and into the water and that's not a good thing to do. slowpass for houseboats. if I approach a slow moving cruiser/trawler/etc from the stern, I'll check with him on VHF. sometimes I advise them to back off so I can give them a more comfortable pass. I will back down for anyone in a channel who is not under power whether they're supposed to be there or not. You can't go wrong being courteous and behaving like you've operated a boat before.
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+1000 We only have a 1 mile no wake 5 mph waterway to come out of we always give way to just about any vessel or boat passing, overtaking or meeting it's a lot easier to give way and have a good day on the water than trying to be the I'm right get out of my way boater, there's plenty of them out there, if there were stop signs on the water they would run every one of them why ruin a good day or your boat.

Edit: This is a very good new to boating simple and easy for anyone to understand book covers all aspects of boating.

http://www.amazon.com/Sportfish-Cruisers-Yachts-Owners-Manual/dp/1887960015
 
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Boat Guy said:
How do you know about this book? Were you involved with it? The author should place some sample pages and make it available in electronic format.
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Our Sea Ray dealer provided about 6 books with the boat it was printed in 1996 doubt if it will be digital.
PM me your address I'll send it to you for $5.00 by paypal if you want it.
Just leaving for the marina will be back later today.
 
I usually started a slow pass by sliding my arm around her and then gently fondlering her brea......... oh, you know the rest :grin:
 
i ordered one of those books. i have run across a few situations where i was confused. like going under bridges. there was a draw bridge down in FL on the ICW that had flashing red lights. so i stopped just in front of it before going under. a bigger vessel (but still a cruiser) came up behind me and honked and yelled up at me, so i started forward again and proceeded under the draw bridge even tho the lights were red. apparently that was correct cause he followed me under and nobody else yelled at me.
 
I don't understand the need for all this talk about a "slow pass". Didn't Rodney Dangerfield demonstrate it perfectly in Caddyshack?
 
keokie said:
I don't understand the need for all this talk about a "slow pass". Didn't Rodney Dangerfield demonstrate it perfectly in Caddyshack?
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Not as good as the marine police did here in DC on the Georgetown Waterfront sinking a 240DA in the process. There were no anchors scratched, however!:smt043
 
Boat Guy said:
Ok, that's funny.... What do you do for a fast pass?
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I usually push it up right to .99 mach in full zone 5 burner so the shock wave is just behind my canopy...It's kind of delicate, because if you leave it in Zone 5 burner, you will go right through Mach 1 and break all the windows....so you've got to get it down to Zone 1 burner at the exact right time...

airplane-going-supersonic-8.jpg

OH - you said SLOW pass...I thought you said "SHOW" pass...
 
SloBurn said:
If I don't make eye contact with the other Captain when passing, I give a toot on my horn to get his attention. There's a rule about one toot to pass on starboard, and two when passing to port, but I don't think anyone remembers that rule.
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Inland Navigation Rule #34:
(a) When power-driven vessels are in sight of one another and meeting or crossing at a distance within half a mile of each other, each vessel underway, when maneuvering as authorized or required by these Rules:
(i) shall indicate that maneuver by the following signals on her whistle:

  • one short blast to mean "I intend to leave you on my port side";
  • two short blasts to mean "I intend to leave you on my starboard side";
  • three short blasts to mean "I am operating astern propulsion".
(ii) upon hearing the one or two blast signal of the other shall, if in agreement, sound the same whistle signal and take the steps necessary to effect a safe passing. If, however, from any cause, the vessel doubts the safety of the proposed maneuver, she shall sound the danger signal specified in paragraph (d) of this Rule and each vessel shall take appropriate precautionary action until a safe passing agreement is made.
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And

(c) When in sight of one another: (i) a power-driven vessel intending to overtake another power-driven vessel shall indicate her intention by the following signals on her whistle:

  • one short blast to mean "I intend to overtake you on your starboard side"
  • two short blasts to mean "I intend to overtake you on your port side".
(ii) the power-driven vessel about to be overtaken shall, if in agreement, sound a similar signal. If in doubt she shall sound the danger signal prescribed in paragraph (d).
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No one does that around here. Besides, typically I wouldn't hear a horn over the engines. Good reason to keep a good 360 watch.
 
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